Cleaning attachment for a brush

ABSTRACT

An elastic fabric member ( 16, 16 ′) closely surrounds a base portion ( 12, 12 ′) of a hairbrush ( 10, 10 ′) from which the bristles (B, B′) of the brush extend. Fabric member ( 16, 16 ′) includes openings ( 22 ) through which the bristles (B, B′) extend when the fabric member ( 16, 16 ′) is substantially down on the base ( 12, 12 ′) of the brush ( 10, 10 ′). The fabric member ( 16, 16 ′) may be a tubular sleeve that is expandable/contractible for placing it on and removing it from the base ( 12, 12 ′) of the brush ( 10, 10 ′). Or, it may be a wrap ( 16 ″) having end portions ( 32, 34 ) that are secured together after the wrap ( 16 ″) is placed on the brush ( 10, 10 ′).

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to hairbrushes comprising bristles that extend outwardly from a support base. More particularly, it relates to a fabric member that is adapted to closely surround the base of the brush with the bristles projecting outwardly through openings in it, and that is further adapted to be removed from the brush, and carry with it hair that was caught between the bristles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Over a period of use hairbrushes accumulate loose hair in spaces between the bristles of the brush. It is both difficult and time consuming to remove this hair from the brush. Brushes have been proposed that include a cleaning feature. Examples of such brushes are shown in the patent literature by the following U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,361, granted May 13, 1990, to John E. Bills; No. 4,191,200, granted Mar. 4, 1980, to Frank J. Renda; No. 4,988,228, granted Jan. 29, 1991, to Ching-Yaun Yeh; No. 5,904,150, granted May 18, 1999, to Christina Caristo and Rocco Caristo; No. 6,070,594, granted Jun. 6, 2000, to Christopher Mears; No. 6,595,219, granted Jul. 22, 2003, to Mitchell E. Anderson; and No. 6,631,831, granted Oct. 14, 2003, to David J. Loiselle.

There is a need for an easy and inexpensive way of cleaning a standard hairbrush. A principal object of the present invention is to fill that need.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes providing an elastic fabric member comprising crossing elastic threads defining openings in the fabric bounded by the threads. The fabric member is adapted to closely surround the base of a brush and allow the bristles of the brush to project from the base through the openings in the fabric member. The fabric member is adapted to be moved outwardly from the base along the bristles and off of the brush. As it moves, the fabric member carries with it hair that was caught between the bristles of the brush outwardly the fabric member.

The elastic fabric member is usable with both a brush having a base that is generally circular in cross section, with bristles projecting radially outwardly from it all the way around the base, and a base that has a first side from which the bristles project and a second side that has no bristles.

The fabric member may be made in the form of an expandable/contractable sleeve that is dimensioned to closely surround the base of the brush. The sleeve is expandable in diameter so that it can be placed on and removed from the bristle portion of the brush. The sleeve preferably has elastic end bands.

In another form of the invention, the elastic fabric member is a wrap having a central portion adapted to be placed on the bristles and moved inwardly along the bristles into a position adjacent the base. The wrap has opposite ends that are brought together and secured together to hold the wrap on the base of the brush. This may be done by providing the ends of the wrap with hook and loop fasteners for securing the ends together.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the description of the best mode set forth below, from the drawings, from the claims and from the principals that are embodies in the specific structures that are illustrated and described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Like reference numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the several views of the drawing, and:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a brush assembly that includes a cleaning member stretched over the base of the brush which includes the bristles, such view showing the bristles projecting through openings in the member and showing the fabric member closely adjacent the base of the brush;

FIG. 2 is an enlarge scale fragmentary view of a portion of the brush assembly, better showing the bristles projecting outwardly through openings that are formed in the fabric member by and between the threads that make up the fabric member;

FIG. 3 is another pictorial view on yet a larger scale, showing a single bristle projecting through an opening formed in the fabric member;

FIG. 4 is an exploded pictorial view showing the brush of FIG. 1, the fabric member that is in FIG. 1, in a collapsed position, and a stretching form for the fabric member shown spaced from the fabric member;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side view with some parts in side elevation and some parts in section, such views showing the fabric member stretched over the form member and showing the bristle portion of the brush about to be inserted into the form member;

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 5, but showing the bristle portion of the brush inserted into the form member;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view through a fabric member in the form of a sleeve, such view showing the fabric member's sleeve having a substantially circular cross sectional configuration;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken through the bristle portion of the brush;

FIG. 9 is a view showing the fabric member expanded and the bristle portion of the brush aligned with a central opening that extends through the fabric member;

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view like FIGS. 7 and 8, but showing the fabric member contracted on the bristle portion of the brush, and showing the bristles of the brush projecting outwardly through openings in the fabric member, and showing the fabric member closely surrounding the base of the brush;

FIG. 11 is an enlarge scale sectional view taken at one end of the fabric sleeve, including a cross sectional view of an expandable bead that is provided at the end of the fabric sleeve; and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view showing overlapping end portions of a fabric member and further showing hook and loop fastener elements on the end portions of the fabric member, for securing the end portions of the fabric member together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a brush assembly comprising a hair brush 10 having a base portion 12 and a handle 14 that extends endwise from the base portion 12. As better shown by FIGS. 2 and 3, the base portion 12 is provided with a plurality of bristles, some of which are designated 14. The bristles 14 project outwardly from the base 12 in a known fashion.

FIGS. 1-3 show a fabric member 16 that is installed on the base 12 with the bristles 14 projecting through openings 22 formed in the woven fabric member 16 between the threads 18, 20. The fabric 16 is elastic and the threads 18, 20 are stretchable so as to enlarge the openings 22 formed by and between the threads.

The material 16 may be Spandex®, style 26130, marketed by Darrington Fabrics Corporation of 1359 Broadway, Suite 1404, New York, N.Y. 10018. This is just one example of a suitable material 16. Others are made by Sportex International, Inc., 820 Gladys Avenue, Los Angeles, Calif. 90021. Material 16 resembles closely the material used for making pantyhose. What is required is a material that has a relaxed condition but can expand sufficiently to allow it to be placed on the bristle portion of the brush and allow the bristles 14 to project through the openings 22.

The brush shown by FIGS. 1-6 has a base with a first side from which the bristles 14 project and a second side that has no bristles. FIG. 4 shows the elastic fabric member in the form of a flattened tube. FIG. 4 shows a form 24 formed from a strip of stiff sheet plastic or other sheet material. It is formed in the bent condition shown in FIG. 4 or it is flat but bendable into the position shown by FIG. 4. The sleeve 16 can be easily installed on the brush 10 in the following manner. The sleeve 16 is positioned endwise of the form 24 and is then expanded and slipped along the length of the form 24, into the position shown by FIG. 5. Then the bristle carrying portion 12 of the brush 10 is inserted through the open end of the sleeve 16 at the open end of the form 24, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The form 24 keeps the sleeve 16 stretched so that it is easy to insert the bristle carrying portion 12 over the brush 10 into the form 24. Once the bristle carrying portion 12 of the brush 10 is inside the form 24 (FIG. 6), the form 24 is pulled endwise from the sleeve 16, allowing the sleeve 16 to collapse on the bristle carrying portion 12 of the brush 10. When this happens, the bristles B each find an opening 22 and enter into and through the opening 22. The crossing threads 18, 20 then contract onto the base 10, into the position shown by FIGS. 1 and 2. FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 show an optional elastic band 26 that may be slid over the handle 18 and moved onto the handle end of the sleeve 16, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Or, an elastic bead may be formed at the handle end (or at both ends) of the sleeve 16 and used for binding that end of the sleeve 16 to the handle, in place of the elastic band 26.

When the sleeve 16 is installed on the brush 10 in the manner shown by FIGS. 1 and 2, the material sits down into the spaces between the adjacent bristles B. Then, the brush 10 is used in the usual manner for brushing one's hair. Over a period of time, loose hair will settle into the spaces between the bristles B. After hair has accumulated in the brush 10 over a period of time, the hair can be removed and the brush cleaned very simply in the following manner. The elastic band 36, if used, is removed. The end of the sleeve 16 is grasped and the sleeve 16 is expanded, preferably by hand, sufficiently to move the material 12 outwardly away from the brush base 12 along the bristles B. As the sleeve material moves outwardly through the spaces between the bristles B, it moves with it the hair that accumulated in the spaces between the bristles B. The sleeve 16 is expanded an amount sufficient to remove all of the loose hair. This may require that the sleeve 16 be removed from the brush 10. Following removal of the loose hair in the above-described manner, the sleeve 16 is reestablished in position on the bristle-carrying base 12 of the brush 10.

FIG. 9 shows a brush 10′ having a base 12′ and bristles B′ that project generally radially out from the base 12′ of the brush 10′. FIG. 9 also shows an elastic fabric member 16 in tubular sleeve form that is close in diameter (d1) to the diameter (d2) of the brush base 12′. This elastic fabric member 16 may be made from the same material as the elastic member 16 described in conjunction with FIGS. 1-6. Fabric member 16′ has been constructed to include an elastic bead 30 at each of its ends. The sleeve 16′ is suitably stretched, such as by use of a form (not shown), or by hand stretching, and then the bristle portion 12 of the brush 10′ is inserted into the expanded sleeve 16′. Once it is inside of the sleeve 16′, the sleeve 16′ is relaxed. This causes the brush bristles B′ to move through the mesh openings 22 and causes the sleeve 16′ to compress down onto the base 12′ of the brush 10′. FIG. 7 shows the sleeve 16′ open up into a cylindrical form with a relaxed diameter. FIG. 8 is a sectional view through the bristle-carrying portion of the brush 10, showing that the outside diameter of the base 12′ is substantially equal to the unstretched diameter of the sleeve 16′. As previously stated, FIG. 9 shows the sleeve 16′ expanded. FIG. 10 shows it contracted onto the base 12′ and further shows the bristles B projecting outwardly through the openings in the sleeve 16′. After the brush has been used and loose hair has accumulated between the bristles B, the sleeve 16 is expanded away from the base 12′ so that it will move with it the loose hair that has accumulated in the spaces between the bristles B.

In place of the tubular sleeve, the fabric member 16 may be a flat sheet having opposite end portions 32 that overlap after the sheet 16″ has been wrapped onto the bristle-carrying portion of the brush 10, 10′. This construction of the member 16″ may be particularly suitable. for use with a flathead brush such as shown by FIGS. 1-6. The fabric member or “wrap” 16′ may be set down with its center portion on the bristles B. Then, it is pushed downwardly to move the bristles B into the openings 22 and move the threads 18, 20 down onto the surface of the base 12. After the wrap 16″ is installed in this manner, its end portions 32, 34 are grasped and pulled together around the back side of the brush 10 and then end portion 34 is positioned over end portion 32 and the end portions 34, 32 are suitably fastened together to hold the wrap 16′ on the brush. This may be done by the use of hook and loop fastener strips, e.g. Velcro®. End member 32 is pulled upon in one direction and end member 34 is pulled upon in the opposite direction and then the end member 34 is pushed against the end member 32. This moves fastener member 36 into contact with fastener member 38, causing engagement of the hooks and eyes and the connection together of the end portions 32, 34 until it is desired to remove the wrap 16″ from the brush.

The illustrated embodiments are only examples of the present invention and, therefore, are non-limitive. It is to be understood that many changes in the particular structure, materials and features of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is my intention that my patent rights not be limited by the particular embodiments that are illustrated and described herein, but rather are to be determined by the following claims, interpreted according to accepted doctrines of patent claim interpretation, including use of the doctrine of equivalents. 

1. A device for cleaning hair out from between the bristles of a brush, said bristles projecting outwardly from a support base and having spaces between them, said device comprising: an elastic fabric member comprising crossing threads defining openings in the fabric member bounded by the threads; said fabric member being adapted to be installed on the brush closely surround the base of the brush, and allow the bristles of the brush to project out through the openings in the fabric member; and said fabric member being adapted to be moved outwardly from the base and off from the brush, and carry with it hair that was between the bristles, outwardly of the fabric member.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the fabric member is in the form of a sleeve dimensioned to closely surround the base of the brush, and being expandable in diameter so that can be removed form the bristle portion of the brush.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the sleeve has elastic end bands.
 4. The device of claim 2, configured for use with a brush having a base that is generally circular in cross section and has bristles projecting generally radiantly outwardly from the base all the way around the base.
 5. The device of claim 1, for use with a brush having a base that has a first side from which the bristles project and a second side that has no bristles.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein the elastic fabric member is a wrap having a portion adapted to be placed on the bristles and then moved inwardly towards the bristles into a position adjacent the base, and having opposite end portions that are brought together and secured together to hold the wrap on the base of the brush.
 7. The device of claim 6, wherein the opposite end portions of the wrap have fasteners for securing them together and hold them on the brush.
 8. A brush assembly, comprising: a brush having a support base and bristles that project outwardly from the support base and have spaces between them; an elastic fabric member comprising threads defining openings in the fabric member bounded by the threads; said fabric member being adapted to be contiguous the base of the brush and allow the bristles of the brush to project from the base through the openings in the fabric member; and said fabric member being adapted to be moved outwardly from the base along the bristles and off of the brush, and carry with it hair that was between the bristles, outwardly of the fabric member.
 9. The brush assembly of claim 8, wherein the fabric member is in the form of a sleeve dimension to closely surround the base of the brush, said sleeve being expandable in diameter so that it can be expanded for the purpose of pushing hair that is in the spaces between the bristles out from such spaces.
 10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the sleeve has elastic end bands.
 11. The brush assembly of claim 8, wherein the brush has a base that is generally circular in cross section and has bristles that project substantially radially outwardly from the base all around the base.
 12. The brush assembly of claim 8, wherein said brush has a base including a first side from which the bristles project and a second side that has no bristles.
 13. The brush assembly of claim 8, wherein the elastic fabric member is a wrap having a portion adapted to be placed on the bristles and then moved inwardly towards and along the bristles into a position contiguous the base, said wrap having ends that are brought together and secured together to hold the wrap on the base of the brush.
 14. The brush assembly of claim 13, wherein the opposite ends of the wrap have fasteners for securing them together. 